New year challenge
 

Hi all and hope you are all doing well. Today marks day 32 of year 2 but as good a day as any to start thinking more positively and try something almost new.
I myself hate January so to start this year i am going to walk as usual everyday and post a photo and say somthing about where i am and how im feeling.
I will try to be more positive in these strange days and hopefully give some hope to you who struggle like i did for so long.
So people get out there and start walking.
It is hard but so worth it.Happy new year to you all.

Inspired by you, I just went for a walk. So simple, yet so effective!

Thats great Lixie.
I have just got back from mine and it was wet and windy but i feel much better now I've done it.
Todays photo is of a Little Egret . A newcomer to Ireland and has only made it a permanent home since the 1990s so beautiful and elegant and something to be happy about. I wouldn't have seen or appreciated seeing such beauty around me while hungover. Have a wonderful day everyone https://i.postimg.cc/brdsZrWV/20220101-093956.jpg

Great idea! Thanks, excited to follow!❤️🤓

Great idea , thanks

Nice photo. I've never seen an egret, or perhaps did and didn't notice, I'm not one to notice unusual wildlife generally. Are they very common in Ireland? I walk along the grand canal, would I ever see one three? There's a crane that hangs out along the canal near my house, maybe I'll grab a pic of him some walk.

Yeah they are spreading across the country and up the east coast. They hang around the common grey Hern you see in Dublin and all over Ireland like this one.https://i.postimg.cc/3wvP5fQb/Screen...302-Photos.jpg

Another walk in the rain today i passed under an old unused railway bridge. Closed back in the 1930s so much history must have passed over it. I know the last British soilders that left Ireland in the 1922 would have used it to get back to Dublin to go back to England. A lot of old railway lines are now used as cycle and walkways, this one was supposed to be finished by now but unfortunately hasn't even been started yet 10 year's after the ribbon was cut☹. Enjoy your day everyone. https://i.postimg.cc/0NWt6r4h/20220102-110700.jpg

Fantastic Idea AL48! Love the railway bridge pic. I also have decided to walk everyday, even if I bike.

Still windy but dry over here up early and got a 10k in. Todays the last day of the holiday's so back to reality tomorrow and work. Still will get to it with a clear head and lose the Christmas blubber on my waistline. I watched the fishermen get the nets ready and head out to sea this morning. Not my cup of tea as far as work goes. My dad was a Fisherman and its a hard life i never liked going out with him as a young lad. Hope you are all fit and well today.https://i.postimg.cc/SQcKqGTT/20220103-093228.jpg

What a fantastic and interesting photo! I love boats, but indeed that would be a hard life. Fishing villages are always so interesting though.

If you don't have a dog, I'd highly recommend getting one. It makes walking so much more enjoyable. I don't even use my treadmill anymore since getting a dog.

That must hurt his back! (sorry...couldnt resist lol)

Great idea AL!... I need to get into walking too...definite addition to my procrastination list....keep it up!

Thanks guys. I have a dog but she getting old now so i bring her for short a stroll in the evening after work. So if not walking with someone its just me and a podcast of some kind. Id love to see some photos from where you all are, do post them if out and about👍.

I always love your photos Al :) ❤️

I promise I will take pics when it is not too cold to go for a walk.... -C is not Aussie-friendly weather. :)

I don't have any pictures of nature, but here's the 'object of my affection', my beagirl Billie. :) When I look at her I get a tiny picture of the dog species in her actions.

https://i.postimg.cc/nLnpXdXZ/Billie...e-sunlight.jpg

AL, I love your idea and the beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing your walks with us.

Thankyou you're all more than welcome to join in.🙂

Its just typical a beautiful morning and day ahead and im back to the job. The walk to work this morning was nice and early and very cold i met the sun coming up its so pretty. A good start to the day but i felt a bit down about the weight gain so i just had to think back about where i was this time last year. There's no comparison to today and i was happy and positive again.Hope you all enjoy your dayhttps://i.postimg.cc/VNPwwQfD/20220104-074846.jpg

Happy Sober Tuesday morning to ya Al and thank you
for sharing your lovely pictures with us. Much appreciated
as always. :)

It took looking at a picture of my daughter and I with her
little family when they came down this way to visit last yr
to realize I didn't like the way I looked with extra weight
I had gained over the years. :(

I'm not very photogenic and never have been and pictures
don't lie. Seeing myself made me say to myself, enough is
enough. I have to stop eating things that have never worked
for me.

So many time i've tried this and that to loose weight and
once I think that I'm safe and can eat those foods again,
before I know it, ive gain the weight back on again.

I've had to come to terms that many of those unhealthy
foods, just like alcohol, don't work for me and really and
honestly, never have.

If i don't drink alcohol or poison, then I won't get drunk
and sick and won't get back on the merry go round of
insanity that comes with addiction.

It's amazing how many items that fill the shelves at the
grocery store is made of preservatives. Crap that keeps
me and others unhealthy.

It takes reading and researching the healthy foods, those
gems that we can eat and keep us healthy each day. If you
enjoy cooking, then you can create healthy meals for yourself.

I avoid junk food as much as possible and stick to healthy
proteins, low carbs, low salt, more veggies and fruits. If i
don't buy junk food or have it in my home, then I can't eat
it and it won't make me gain weight.

Just like learning how to remain sober each day building
a strong foundation to live our lives upon each day, then
learning how to eat healthy can also help us achieve healthy
hearts and minds too.

I'm on a journey to achieving a body with less weight so
that when a family picture is taken again, then i will look
and feel better about my accomplishment.

I'm taking it a day at a time eating healthy and incorporating
exercise, which is tending to my gardening every day.

It will work if we work it. :c014:

aasharon my downfall is the sugar. I have a big time sweet tooth but if i can struggle through this first week i will ve fine 🙂.
I have read and seen that the sugar intake with alcohol was bad so still looking for the fix from somewhere i suppose and i love chocolate and biscuits (cookies). I will have some fruit i stead and plenty of protein to keep me going.

Sugar is a big culprit for us here too. So cookies,
candy, unless it is cacoa nibs for me and dark choc
kisses for hubby.

We read all the labels to see how much sugar or
salt or carbs or ingredients we can't pronounce.

Organic foods is something I look for when I go
shopping which I read is good for me.

When I add gardening into my everyday plans, it's
amazing how many muscles it takes to sweep, haul,
bagging leaves and hand picking pine needles. :)

The longer I don't eat salt, then when i do eat something
with salt, it's too much even for a small bite. Then when
i eat carbs, which i do every morning with my oatmeal,
which is also healthy and gives me the energy needed
to start my day, when it wears off, i can tell because i'm
dragging.

Good thing lunch for me is the next closest meal for the
day at 10am. Yep, i am an early bird at 4am, breakfast
between 5 and 6 and lunch at 10. Then an early snack
and supper all before 5pm which ends my day of food
intake.

Lunch normally consists of Tilapia fish that I steam quickly
and pair it with some steamed frozen veggies. A whole bag
of mixed veggies or veggie of choice and a nice size of fish
fills my belly and gives me energy for the afternoon gardening.
Add a delicious Gala apple or small orange or cup of green tea
its a healthy bill for me. :)

Staying busy outside helps keep my mind off food too.

I retire for the night early early to allow my mind and body
to repair itself from the day's activities and prepare for the
next.

Anyway, keep learning and you will find what works best
for you to get you where you want to be. Healthy and happy. :c014:

If you like chocolate, try dark chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the less sugar it has.

Love the pics! Thank you!

Thankyou for the tips guys. Rice cake tonight with low fat apricot jam as a treat and off to my bed im frozen tonight after rugby training the boys.

https://i.postimg.cc/NGSSSBz2/20220105-080441.jpg
Its really cold this morning -3C that's cold for us over here but its a beautiful morning again. One thing for sure those poor fishermen work hard they were unloading their catch early and probably heading out again today while the weather is good. Up early every morning might sometimes not be the easiest thing to do but i feel it a win every time. So thats me, WIN the morning and you're set for whatever happens for the rest of the day.

A real wet and rough morning. All fishermen are docked safely in the harbour as well as the cargo ship full of animal feed i suspect. Irish weather no wonder its the nations favourite thing to talk about its always changing. A bit like myself always changing but with the hope of sunny blue and skies ahead. https://i.postimg.cc/DyRDqbvn/20220106-115244.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/kMtv6vzq/20220107-081926.jpg
Definitely a bit brighter arriving at work this morning. Happy with that.
Listened to a podcast about the new law that came into Ireland on Tuesday this week we now have minimum pricing on alcohol. No more slabs of beer for €15 they will be about €25 to €30 now, bottle of 🤢 wine minimum €7.00 and 750ml spirit's €22 it was€15.00 and less.The debate was interesting but its my own attitude that has changed where i know what side of the debate i would have been on 13 months ago. I guess its a cultural change we need here as its still ok or the craic (fun) to go out and binge. Thoughts anyone.

https://i.postimg.cc/rwftD70F/20211225-111950.jpgHi all. I was in France over the Christmas holidays and took a photograph of different buildings. I just love the granite used in this part of France, almost all of the houses are made with the stone from the surrounding area. So pretty and practical keeping the homes warm in winter and cool during the hot summer. Still got out myself today in the January rain so roll on February rain 🙂.

Morning. Missed yesterday had to make a quick trip from home to Dublin so took a day off from walking. To be honest i was more tired from the 7hr drive than i am from exercise. Respect to all you drivers out there.
This morning was dark and dull but peaceful only the birds singing for company, the beautiful views as the daylight arrived and the buoys lights in the harbour flickering on and off.
I Hope you are all doing well.
https://i.postimg.cc/1zjCH92H/20220110-081000.jpg